need advice to buy a good tent
 

Hi guys,
Last year I travelled with a 30$ tent, I used it only a couple of times during my trip.
Next summer will ride the road of bones and I will camp much more.

I have not much experience in camping and in camping gear. I want a very small and light tent.

I found this tent: Easton Kilo 2P
Easton Kilo 2 Tent | eBay

Does some of you guys have this tent? What do you think about it? Is pretty light and well.. not cheap neither, but I learned as well that sometimes it's better to pay more to get quality stuff that will last much longer

Or do you have some other alternatives?
thanks in advance for your help!

David
zimiontheloose.ch | Rock'n'roll Motorcycle Adventure!

Hi,

I used the "texel 3" for 35 Euro two years around Africa and 9 months around Southamerica camping allmoast every day never using hotels:

http://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B000...SIN=B000PI6CP4

Its very easy to pitch every day. I permanently closed the front so i did not have to take the two front sticks along.

The tent you showed us will probably not stand without hugs (Edit:Hoogs ;-) ) and doesnt have a seperate malaria net (Edit: mosquito net ;-) ) for the hot days so i would not even take it for a two days trip ;)

http://www.adventure-travel-experien...en_suedamerika

Travel save, Tobi

Hugs? Malaria net?

OP, a site search will tell you that tent choices are plentiful, and strong opinions even more so. I'm firmly on the side of "pay more for better quality," while Tobi's stance is definitely more minimalist.

That site search will give you lots of specific recommendations for all sorts of tastes and purposes: http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/search. Just insert the word "tent," and see where it takes you. Good luck!

Mark

Tent
 

E-mail sent!

Also you can think about possibility to buy one person quick standing tents like Quechua or Karrimor in UK.

Light, fast, relativly cheap, durable but still a little bit clumsy for carry. It depends how big it is when you pack it.

Other option, I prefer is to buy some expedition tents, which are made for alpinists.

I put the pictures of both here.

need a tent
 

ive tried several over the years but none come close to the one i have now,its a vaude campo compact,one person can erect in 5 minutes it packs down small and ive camped in torrential rain for hours without leakage,get one you won,t be disapointed,its described as a 3 man tent but holds i person and all the gear comfortably

Hi thanks for you advices. The quechua that open itself alone is much too big. And I checked the vaude campo... but it's 3.5kg... And the other tent was only 1 kg... It's a big difference... Well in price as well.

I will continue to have a look. I would like to find a good compromise, as small and light as possible, but still usable..

At 3.8 kilos wasn't that rather heavy on your small bike?

Never having ridden the Road of Bones I can't speak from experience, but having read and watched others' experiences I know I'd want a bigger tent than that for two reasons, weather and mosquitoes.

Having seen Oisin Hughes sitting in his tent in deepest Siberia, watch his YouTube series if you can, it strikes me you'll spend quite a lot of time in your tent sheltering from the wet, the cold and the bugs, so you want something big enough to be a home from home, where you can bring all your gear inside so you don't have to keep going outside.

And what is a couple of kilos anyway? A week jogging round the park and you could probably lose the difference in weight between a minimalist back-packers' tent and a decent, roomy travelling tent.

Do I have a preference? I love my Coleman Phad X3 there's loads of space to spread, a good size porch to cook or unpack in and it is neither too heavy not too bulky to carry on a bike. While it's not cheap and maybe nasty, it's not stupidly expensive either, and it's available throughout the world.

http://www.campingforums.org.uk/foru...t-img_2985.jpg

Oh and it's got aluminium poles which I prefer as they're easier to fix if they bend or snap using one of the supplied sleeves, than carbon fibre which tends to splinter into razor sharp spikes, ripping your tent and sticking in your skin (that I do have experience of).

Personally if I was going on a long trip, I wouldn't want to be stuck inside a tiny lightweight tent for that time. Weather and bugs may force you to spend a lot of time inside.

I bought a Hilleberg Nammatj 2 GT for one person and motor bike gear. It has a very large porch for all the wet gear that you must not bring inside the dry part of the tent where you will sleep.

But as I planned some wilderness walking also, I planned to bring a small Hilleberg Soulo or Akto as I didn't want to carry the Nammatj for three or four days.

If you are staying with the bike, get a lightweight quality tent like Hilleberg, etc. etc. but don't sacrifice space just for weight.

Grey Beard

I'd just like to second the Phad X3. It can be a bit awkward to erect the first couple of times but once you get your head around it its a fantastic tent for traveling with. It's also the only tent that i have ever bought with good quality tent pegs straight out the box. :thumbup1:

Dont be fooled by the notion that paying a high price means you get high quality. People do get suckered here.

And a cheap tent will rot in UV as quickly as a dear one.

Likewise I've seen people buying a high mountain tent which is totally inappropriate but because it cost more, they think its better.

Thanks for posting this. I followed up with some research and it seems its highly rated as being great value. Can't seem to find it in Australia though. Are there any online camping sites in the UK that ship internationally?
cheers

Simply hike will deliver internationally :smartass:

Coleman Phad X3 Tent | Simply Hike UK

Thanks. I just tried to buy it and it lets me select the shipping option of Australia but when it updates it tells me that they cannot ship that item to the country selected. I'm finding this happens quite a bit with U.K and U.S sites.

Wondering if any other Aussies have had any luck shipping this tent from the U.K?

i'm very happy with my Marmot Limelight 2p

Alloy poles, quick to pitch, good quality pegs, roomy enough for man and gear and one of the only small tents I found that I can actually sit up in.

I always have a tarp/basha with me as well though; gives me somewhere out of the weather to get my sh1t together, cook, chill.

A lot of websites default to no shipping to far off places, or even to Germany from the UK.

I usually give them a phone call or eMail and ask them specifically, but of course it will not be cheap to post UK to Oz and I suppose you may have Oz Customs/Import Duty. Probably could get the UK VAT deducted at source if exporting to Oz though.

Grey Beard

Well, I did some research and thought it could interest some people:

first here they make some comparaison and tests:
Backpacking Tent Reviews - OutdoorGearLab

and then here:

[url=http://www.litekamper.com/tent_2man.htm]2 Man

Coleman Tent
 

I have 2 of these tents so if you want to buy one of mine let me know. & I am here in OZ ?

I'm also looking at buying a new tent to replace my existing one, so it is interesting to read this thread.

The one I have is also one of those cheap 30 Euro three man tents.
It has served me well over the past years while travelling through France and other parts, but I have a few problems with it.
Firstly, the poles are fibreglass and like someone already mentioned, when they split, they are hell to use for getting splinters in your hands. Luckily I carried tweezers with me. When they split, the tent doesn't hold its shape and if you get caught in a fair storm, well, you'd probably be wishing you maybe had a better tent. Also, the fibreglass poles are heavier then alloy poles.

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-p...0/DSC_4689.jpg

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/phot...eat=directlinkI was able to buy new generic fibreglass poles in one of the large sport stores and size it for my tent, so that has been ok. But just waiting and knowing that they will eventually split again at a most inconvenient time.

The Coleman Phad X3 looks to be a right sized tent for my needs. It seems that us folks down here in Australia no longer can get the Phad range. I found some references to it on other bush-walking forums from some years back now.

I checked on the Coleman website and, well, not in Australia and not in France, but ride over the border into Switzerland or Germany or UK not a problem, makes no sense.

On my travels I noticed a lot of tents from all parts of Europe, and I tried to take notice of what I saw as being good points of what I saw.

For me, what I am thinking as being important for my next tent are;

• Must have quality alloy poles,
• Able to put up outer first, so poles on outside, in case of foul weather. Nothing worse than having to put tent up in rain or to pack it wet and then ride.
• An air vent at the top, for those stinky hot days.
• Good sized vestibule for putting all your gear and or to be able to prepare food in less than lack-luster weather. I've had a few.
• Being able to sit up straight, without having your head touch the roof. I'm 196cm, so I need headspace.

(The above is bullet pointed, but, alas, it does not show once posted?)
Basically, a bush-walking tent is too small for any sort of adventure longer than a few days with good weather. And the family tent, well, it just isn't the sort of thing to lug about on your bike. Then the cheap tents, yes, they can do if you know the type of climate and conditions your expecting. You don't need to be too precious about a cheap tent.

Maybe there's an opportunity for someone to make a range ideally suited for motorcycle adventurer tourers like us?

Zimi, are you looking for a tent to use here in Australia or to take overseas?

PaulD, sounds like an offer for Zimi then.

I was initially thinking of downsizing from the three man I have, though I am having second thoughts about that and seeing the value in having the extra room rather than saving on a kilo or two.

Maybe I will order such a tent from Germany and have it freighted to France where the bike is in storage until I go there agian next year (2013).

Paul
:Beach:

Hi Paul, I think it was not an offer to me, because I live in Switzerland!

Thanks for your advices!

http://two-wheel-tours.smugmug.com/T...DSCN0318-L.jpg

I really like this Marmot Tent. Its a 2 person so I can fit all my gear inside if need be. I can set up the fly before the tent which is a nice feature in the rain. The door is hinged on the bottom which is annoying at times but a few months after I purchased they changed the design to hinge on the side

Hi mate
Lots of good advice here. I come from a mountaineering background and i can tell you you get what you pay for. My advice is to go to a reputable mountaineering retailer and buy a 3 or 4 season rated tent. If you can get one with Easton aluminium poles thats a bonus.. I have been using the same tent for almost 20 years and it is still serviceable and there is nowhere harsher in uv terms than down here. Anyway thats my opinion based on experience. Also mountaineers dont like to carry extra weight.
Regards
Mark

I've used a different model of Coleman tent for summer trips and I am happy with the quality of the materials; the "X tent" model has a lot of good features, like good ventilation and mosquito netting but it doesn't erect with the fly sheet first - I haven't had a problem with this because the whole thing goes up very quickly in any case.
But, the flysheet design is for summer use; it doesn't extend to ground level all the way round, and I wouldn't "trust it" in very high winds from the wrong direction (such would probably get under the fly sheet and try to lift the whole tent).
For a quick stopover I don't even use the guy lines and pegs; it is free standing and my own weight on the sewn-in ground sheet is enough stabilisation.

Anyway, is that Phad complete in the picture, or is there another fly to be fitted? (it looks a bit "bare" with the pole arrangement, but the guy lines arrangement says that the tent is fully erected).

Thanks Dave, that's interesting what you say regards of the outer fly not coming all the way down to ground level.

If you have used a different Coleman model, can you let us know which one?
And when you say the outer doesn't go up first, are you meaning the Phad X3 or some other?

I would like to see some more photos of the Phad X3, maybe someone has a few photos showing more of the setup of it.

The other tent I had though about initially is the Zelt Ligero Al from Tom Cat from Sud-West.
Sued-West - Zelte & Camping > Trekkingzelte > Zelt Ligero AL

I went touring with a German fellow for a few weeks this year I have seen this tent and was quite impressed with its quality and ease of putting up and packing up. This guy was set up before me each day and was ready on his bike before me each day. It is very stable and has some height to it.
From the photo it looks smaller than you think, but its overall length is around 3 metres.

For me, the price is good, very good in fact.

What do others think of it?

Paul

Paul,
My Coleman is quite old - I got it in the USA at least 12 years ago.
The model is called "X tent" probably because the main poles cross over each other which gives a good stable set up. I'd have to dig it out of it's bag to see if there are any other bits to the name, but I am 99% sure that is it for the naming.
After the tent goes up, the fly sheet uses a pole to make it into what looks a bit like a kite and it clips to the main tent at all 4 edges of the main poles, so it sheds water all round except at the tent entrance where it just overhangs a bit and doesn't extend all the way down to ground level. Does that make sense? It's this latter aspect which would make it susceptible to high wind strength blowing from the wrong direction.
With my tent, the inner goes up first, as described here, and the fly sheet goes on soon after (just one pole and 4 clips and it is on - in fact, in wet weather I can get the fly sheet prepared first with it's single pole fixed in place and then it goes onto the tent in just seconds, so long as it hasn't flown like a kite in the meantime!).
It doesn't have a vestibule and the phad is a better design for this aspect.

No that's the whole thing, it's a pole on the outside, fly-first tent which it's why it looks like that. You'll need to add in a footprint as the built in groundsheet is very thin, to save weight I unzip the porch part of the groundsheet, why double up?

TBH though the tent I really wanted was the Coleman Libra X3 single pole tent. The single pole is attached to the the tent, all you do is unfold it, grab the pole in one hand and a handle on the tent and pull and the whole thing goes up in one go. Sadly it wasn't available in the UK, only from the Netherlands and I wanted a tent in a hurry.

http://www.coleman.eu/ru/images/Prod...dium/25818.jpg

Just to confirm what Alexlebrit says about the X3.. it most definitely does erect fly first.. or all in one (Fly with inner attached).

Also, it's a free standing tent, so if the ground is too hard, there's no need to use pegs, though they do help it keep it's shape. I rarely use the guys.

I've been using the X2 (same as the X3, but narrower).. for a couple of years now, and it's an excellent tent.

:D:D hi
love my exped tent pricey but well worth it
TheSeries II Expedition Tent | Motorcycle Tent from Redverz Gear

happy biking :scooter::scooter:

Check the specs
 

Zimi,
HiLight Tent - Black Diamond Mountain Gear

Seals tight for sand storms, desert use, extremely light weight, high quality, bomb proof. 4 season.
Perfect for one man and gear.

Packs very small.

You must seam seal it and practice set up carefully until you understand it , then it is fast and easy.

If you choose it PM me on Adv rider, bmwktmbill.
bill

I get nervous when I read "The canopy is built with highly water-resistant and breathable [fabric]." Have you used it in serious, sustained rain? Had it for long enough that the DWR finish wears off? And what are its advantages over any other single-wall tent?

Not criticizing; merely asking for more information. It's not a tent I'm familiar with.

Thanks.

mark

So I bought the black diamond hilight tent, because of size and weight. As i had to cancel my trip to magadan, I only used it once this summer. TO be honnest, I am disapointed. This tent is quite expensive +400 euro, and looks very cheap to me... First I find it not normal that you have to seal it on your own for this price, they even say that you might need more sealant than what they give with the tent....
Then It's super light but looks super fragile to me.. We will see. I sent one night under heavy rain, and inside was wet because of condensation. I didn't buy the optional hall, so when I open the door from the tent, the water comes inside...

Am I asking too much for 400 euro or what?

I have been using the Big Agnes Copper Spur UL2 this season and I so far so good. Two vestibules for stuff (but of course no floor so things will get wet from water running in), good venting and most important is that I stayed perfectly dry after a night of heavy rain - and on more than one occasion; inside mesh pockets for stuff; packs very small and good weight. Only suggestion, buy a three man for one person and a 4 person for two people.

Here is what it looks like in action.

Superlight means thin fabric. You can't fight physical science. That doesn't mean fragile, exactly--maybe, maybe not. Since it's sil-nylon and Black Diamond, I'm guessing it's quite strong, and probably has good UV resistance too. But that's the sort of thing you should have looked into before buying, right?

So what you did, was you went out and bought a cutting edge, single wall tent because it's lightweight. What you got was cutting edge design and materials, which alone are responsible for half the price you paid. Shaving that last kilo off the weight is expensive, you know. You got an outstanding return and warranty department , in my experience. And you probably got good workmanship, although judging by your complaints you're probably not ready to appreciate that part.

You also got....Condensation! That's what you get in a single wall tent! If you don't want condensation, you buy a double-wall tent (heavier), or a bigger tent (heavier), or a better ventilated tent...or all three. See how this works? There are tradeoffs every step of the way.

I share your feelings about the seam sealing, but a lot of manufacturers do that. It's irritating, but it's commonly done.

What you still don't know is whether the tent will remain waterproof. That appeared to me to be a dry land tent--suited for deserts, maybe high mountains, as well as for people who want lighter weight gear even if it means they might get a bit damp from time to time. If you're not one of them (as it appears), you might prefer a very different tent.

Not trying to criticize--just trying to give you some belated sense of the stuff you need to consider before dropping coin on an expensive tent. When I looked for something similar, I ended up with a Hilleberg Akto. It looks like the Coleman Libra X3 pictured in a post above (the Coleman is a shameless copy featuring inferior materials and workmanship but a lower price). It's sil-nylon, 1.5 kilos, four season, and well-built. It's also double-wall, so minimal condensation considering its air volume is tiny and it's designed to shed extreme weather. No way I'm spending bad weather in a small, single-wall tent. But the Akto is smaller.....and more expensive. Like I said, there are always tradeoffs.

Mileage varies.

Mark

I have a Big Agnes Copper Spur tent. ultra light (3 pounds) expensive ($400), but designed and built well. I slept in it over 100 nights last year and about 30 thus far this year. I like the two doors and vestibules on both sides. I usually cook under one of the vestibules unless I am in bear country. They are out of Steamboat Springs, Co. REI carrys them too.

Ultralight doesn't mean ultra weak
 

If you are looking for a genuine ultralight tent that is 100% waterproof and windproof - made from Cuben Fibre (a sail making material); check out
ZPacks Hexamid™ Long Tent or Tarp ZPacks.com Ultralight Backpacking Gear - Hexamid Long Cuben Fiber Tent

At 600grams (21 oz) it packs to the size of a camp pillow, can be carried easily and barely noticeable whether you are doing a lot of camping or just a little.